Christina Marshall is a seasoned senior living professional with over 17 years of experience in sales, marketing, and operations for senior communities. She’s also passionate about holistic aging and is committed to building and growing cohousing communities across the Midwest.
In a recent presentation on Varsity’s Roundtable, Christina discussed the challenges of traditional housing, offered a closer look at what cohousing is (and why it’s important) and introduced us to the typical cohousing customer.
TRADITIONAL SENIOR LIVING ISN’T FOR EVERYONE
Senior living has its fair share of hurdles. It works well for some, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. A lot of communities are big buildings with 150 or more units—great for some, but for others, it can feel like navigating a maze. Even though senior living has come a long way, it still leans toward an institutional feel, where the focus is more on the logistics of moving people through the system than creating a truly personal, authentic experience.
WHAT IS COHOUSING?
This leads us into what cohousing actually is. A lot of people hear “cohousing” and jump to the idea of a commune, but that’s a big misunderstanding. Cohousing is really about intentional communities—places built around a shared purpose. In this case, the intention is to live in a community.
Cohousing is a broad concept, but at its core, it’s a style of community development where people have their own private homes while sharing common areas and resources. It’s all about encouraging social connections, collaboration, and sustainable living.
RESIDENT-DRIVEN HOUSING
Cohousing communities usually consist of 20 to 40 private homes, intentionally smaller in size—often no more than three bedrooms or around 1,600 square feet—to maintain sustainability. Homes come in different forms, from stacked flats to townhomes or even standalone cottages. What makes cohousing unique is that it’s resident-driven; unlike senior living, which is built and designed by developers, cohousing communities are shaped by the people who actually live there.
AN OPTION FOR ALL GENERATIONS
Cohousing serves all generations, with around 150 communities across the U.S., from senior-specific to multi-generational setups. In these mixed-age communities, seniors benefit from the energy and support of younger families, while young families find it easier to raise kids with neighborly help. Kids especially thrive in cohousing, gaining safe, fun spaces with multiple adult role models, reinforcing civility and support beyond their parents.
While most cohousing communities are on the East and West Coasts, the Midwest lacks options, largely because these projects are resident-driven and often require specific expertise to get started.
Varsity’s Roundtable is a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here.
